The Middle Distance Thread

Sacksian

Timmaay wrote: »

800 and 15 in the 2 league rounds , 3rd in both I think and some nice racing, happy with my times but they exposed my poor tactical racing ability ha, hang tight longer and alittle bit more faith in my own finishing kicks needed!

Your 800m time in the leagues was very, very good given how early it was in the season - is your training focused on the 800 and did you get much done before that race? Must give you a lot of optimism for pbs on the track in the summer!

Chivito550

Plan for me is 400m and 200m at the Leinsters (200m depends on how much recovery time I get after the 400m). Then 400m at Nationals the following week. Haven't decided yet what I will do at the Connachts, or if I will do them at all. If the next two 400s go well then I may not bother with it, or I may run some other distances. If I feel there is more there in the 400 after nationals then I'll give the 400 a go. I'd imagine Connachts will be fairly low key with very little depth of numbers in senior events, so not something I am banking on.

ECOLII

Was supposed to be doing Leinsters next week myself but it looks as though work commitments have scuppered that so I am gonna have to pray I don't embarrass myself at nationals

Guess an 800m PB attempt will have to wait

KielyUnusual

I think the indoors might be out for me this year. National Inters XC tomorrow and then Ballycotton in a few weeks time, possibly followed by the MSB 5k on the week after. We're still doing a lot of endurance stuff in training and the fitness is coming back nicely so if I, touch wood stay injury free, then I should be in good shape coming in to the track season.

Timmaay

Sacksian wrote: »

Your 800m time in the leagues was very, very good given how early it was in the season - is your training focused on the 800 and did you get much done before that race? Must give you a lot of optimism for pbs on the track in the summer!

On the back of almost zero 800 work, however I don't buy in a huge amount to the theory that you "lose" your speed in the off season/xc, at the end of the day 800 is still firmly an endurance event. But yeh on the back of a lot more solid training this year, was injured for much of xc last yr and never really got in a proper base, I'm certainly along way ahead of this time last yr, work not as busy either, determined to focus on athletics more, having said all that I just love the buzz of racing, pbs are a bonus!

dna_leri

pconn062 wrote: »

Thought I'd give this a bump and see how everyone is getting on. How has training been progressing? Any indoor races coming up? I ran my first last weekend and am doing the Leinsters on Sunday week.

I'm down for the Leinsters 800m next weekend, Connachts two weeks later and National Masters in five weeks. I am not sure what kind of form I am in as I have not done any indicator sessions.

I won't expect much in the first one, hopefully get a reasonable time at the second attempt and then race hard in the third. Looks like there will be plenty of us around Athlone over the next few weeks.

Timmaay

Nationals the weekend anyone? Can't wait!!

Also thinking of guesting for the connacht indoors on the 28th, anyone know how to enter and when entries close?

KielyUnusual

Timmaay wrote: »

Nationals the weekend anyone? Can't wait!!

Also thinking of guesting for the connacht indoors on the 28th, anyone know how to enter and when entries close?

I was so tempted when I saw the entries were closing but I'll stick to the long term plan. Bit awkward for me getting there anyway because there's no one middle distance from the club going down. Not in our training group anyway.

Are you going for the 8/15 double? Sounds like you're having a very good indoor season so far. Have you focussed on it more this year?

ECOLII

Down for the 3000 myself, in a very strange position regarding it, this last 6 weeks has been focusing on working on my speed which has been very successful but I have definitely lost a bit of strength so I honestly have no idea what sort of shape I am in for it.

Excited and nervous on the basis off that but won't know how its gonna go until I would say about half way through

Chivito550

Down for the 400m myself.

Timaaay, I have the entry form for Connachts. PM me your email and I'll forward it onto you. They don't exactly make the entry process simple.

It's on 1st March I think for Seniors. Same day as Ireland v England. So for me it's a case of get in, run race, and get out.

Timmaay

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Are you going for the 8/15 double? Sounds like you're having a very good indoor season so far. Have you focussed on it more this year?

Entered both to keep the options open but 99% sure I'll do 1500.

Suppose I have unintentionally focused on it more than I did last yr, 1st indoor race this year was Jan 11th. Much better base this year also, I was injured till late Jan last year. When I think about it, 3 league rounds, leinsters nationals and connachts, 6 possible race days for us seniors, it's a decent season itself now against previous years, like last year my only indoor was the leinsters.

Sacksian

Had originally thought I’d need to do Connacht to sharpen up and was even considering doing nationals, but Leinsters went better than expected in terms of times and fitness so just going to try and get an uninterrupted 3-4 weeks ahead of the Masters next month. Had a recurrence of a niggle going into the weekend in the same spot that turned into 2-3 months off the last two years so don't want to risk that either.

Definitely hoping to do a full January-March season of indoors next year - five or six races, instead of the two this year… such a great venue, it'd be a shame to waste it!

Sacksian

ECOLII wrote: »

Down for the 3000 myself, in a very strange position regarding it, this last 6 weeks has been focusing on working on my speed which has been very successful but I have definitely lost a bit of strength so I honestly have no idea what sort of shape I am in for it.

Excited and nervous on the basis off that but won't know how its gonna go until I would say about half way through

Good luck with that! I'd say there'll be two races, won't there? And I'd imagine they'll both be a good standard. What's the target? 9:10 - higher or lower?!

ECOLII

Sacksian wrote: »

Good luck with that! I'd say there'll be two races, won't there? And I'd imagine they'll both be a good standard. What's the target? 9:10 - higher or lower?!

Looking at results from last year there seemed to be only one race and the back marker was 9.01 so the main aim is to stay in touch so that I am not TT out the back for entire race

Sacksian

Well, rather you than me! The 3k is the bermuda triangle of distances for me.

Top quality field last year.

ECOLII

Sacksian wrote: »

Well, rather you than me! The 3k is the bermuda triangle of distances for me.

Top quality field last year.

Ha I have the same with 5k, just never stacks up with 3/10k times (till this year hopefully)

Lougheee

So with indoors finished for most people, how did it go for everyone?

For anybody looking for a faster race in the coming weeks, St. Coca's are holding a road mile on St. Patrick's day. I'm running, looking forward to a unique event.

Interested to hear how people will prepare for the summer mid-distance programme as its a long way till the business end of the track season and yet graded meets will be upon us before we know it. Last time I had a track season I was shagged out by the end of June, looking to keep things going more this summer

pconn062

Lougheee wrote: »

So with indoors finished for most people, how did it go for everyone?

For anybody looking for a faster race in the coming weeks, St. Coca's are holding a road mile on St. Patrick's day. I'm running, looking forward to a unique event.

Interested to hear how people will prepare for the summer mid-distance programme as its a long way till the business end of the track season and yet graded meets will be upon us before we know it. Last time I had a track season I was shagged out by the end of June, looking to keep things going more this summer

Only ran two indoor races but really enjoyed both of them, definitely going to run a full indoor season next year as I actually prefer it to outdoor track. The plan now is to concentrate on getting aerobically strong and run a few road races between now and the start of the graded meets in April. Similarly to yourself I was pretty burnt out by the start of July last year so hoping to peak this year around the middle/end of July instead. Have a good coach this year which will hopefully help to plan things a bit better. What have you in mind to try and extend your season this year? Are you going to start track work a little later? Any thoughts on when specific event work needs to start in order to peak at the right time?

Sacksian

Was also thinking about this! Really enjoyed the couple of indoor races I did this year.

I still have the masters to come but am managing a bit of a niggle so planning for afterwards already, just in case. Next up is the road relays but will probably go back to doing mileage (obviously, this is a relative term!) before then. At the moment, I have rough ideas of trying to get in shape for a 5k pb assault in May or start of June by doing more miles and then progressing to more 1500/strength stuff, maybe even a steeplechase!

Main question area for me is how to structure training around racing, once the races start. If you're dropping a session for a race every week, how much training can you fit in with the race and taper/recovery around it?

I ended up not doing any 1500s in the graded last year because I was busy doing sessions to prepare for an 800 the following week. I really, really want to race as often as possible this summer, if the body can take it, so will probably mean not resting down, or compromising some races by doubling up some nights (i.e. 200/800 or 400/1500).

I'll leave the heavy 800 and faster stuff until July. Last year, I was doing 8s and 800-specific work until it was coming out of my ears and actually I felt I might have run faster if I hadn’t done so much specific work

dna_leri

I still have 2 races to go in the indoor season, Connachts this weekend and Masters two weeks later. I also prefer the indoor track - the predictability of the weather if nothing else is a great benefit - nothing worse than planning an attack on a PB in June and ending up blown about by the wind. [Does that make me a track fairy, probably!]

For the outdoor season, I will aim to peak again for the end of July. That still gives 19 weeks after I finish indoors for 6 weeks of base rebuild, 5 weeks pre-comp and 8 weeks comp in June and July. Potentially I could manage 5 events in that time spaced out by 2 weeks - however meets are unlikely to fall that neatly, although indoors has worked pretty well that way.

One of the good things about following a plan (Magness) this year has been helping to figure out how to train and then taper in the competition phase - I never felt confident with what I was doing there in the past.

Chivito550

Have enjoyed my indoor season a lot. Have had 2 60s, 1 200, 1 300, 1 800 and 4 and a half 400s, with one to go this weekend. Have twice run 56.04 which is a little frustrating as the target is sub 56, which would equate pretty much with my sub 55 outdoor PB. Allowing for the rough 1 second differential, I'm pretty much right on PB shape, which is pleasing for this time of year.

Unlike the longer distances though, it's pretty damn hard to run faster indoors than outdoors for sprint events. The faster the event, the more the tight turns penalise you. For that reason I prefer the outdoor running when the weather is decent. I also like having my lane to myself, and not have to worry about others getting in my way. But I love racing in Athlone, and not having to think about conditions. Better atmosphere at indoor meets also.

Timmaay

"Chivito550 wrote: »

But I love racing in Athlone, and not having to think about conditions. Better atmosphere at indoor meets also.

+1, I never want this indoor season to end! One final blowout at the connachts Sunday, at least outdoors isn't too much of a wait!

KielyUnusual

No indoor for me this year and no regrets either. Really enjoyed giving the cross country a real go over the winter and I feel really strong coming off the back of it. Like PConn, I'm interested in hearing how people are going to approach the outdoor season.

My basic plan, although I'll just do whatever the coach says really :P is to start the specific training in April but build up slowly and keep the effort at a reasonable level until May/June when I'll really try to go hard at the sessions and hit some target races.

Before that, I'll be racing Ballycotton in a week and a half and most likely joining Sacksian at the Road Relays. Would like to get maybe one more BHAA XC race in before they finish too. I'm sure there'll be a splattering of road races ran as well.

Timmaay

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057353763/3/#post94482934 sub9 attempt anyone?

Chivito550

So there were a few of us doing Connachts today. Didn't catch any times but saw a pretty good battle between dna_leri and Timaaay in the 800 with Timaaay just edging it. Anyone else?

Not my best day today, a good 0.9 down on last week. Found it hard to get fully up for this one, after putting everything into Nationals the week before. Still glad I gave it a go. Overall a good indoor season I think. Just 1.16 seconds off the outdoor PB, which for an inexperienced indoor runner I'm taking as a good sign.

dna_leri

Chivito550 wrote: »

So there were a few of us doing Connachts today. Didn't catch any times but saw a pretty good battle between dna_leri and Timaaay in the 800 with Timaaay just edging it. Anyone else?

Not my best day today, a good 0.9 down on last week. Found it hard to get fully up for this one, after putting everything into Nationals the week before. Still glad I gave it a go. Overall a good indoor season I think. Just 1.16 seconds off the outdoor PB, which for an inexperienced indoor runner I'm taking as a good sign.

Did not know that was Timaay. Don't feel so bad about not catching him now. Did not get a time sub 206 would do fine.

Chivito550

dna_leri wrote: »

Did not know that was Timaay. Don't feel so bad about not catching him now. Did not get a time sub 206 would do fine.

Haha, the way you guys were so close together all race I just assumed you knew each other.

You have some fairly quick finishing speed.

Timmaay

Hmmmm trying to put a name to a face now ha, What club ya in? I botched that 800 2bh, hung back which meant loads of awkward overtaking. In shape for sub2 at the minute I'd say but would need a steady paced race. Still enjoyed today definitely, times well off what I'm use of but plenty of good battling.

Back to plenty of solid milage for the next few weeks before hopefully hitting outdoors with a bang in late April, can't wait!

dna_leri

Timmaay wrote: »

Hmmmm trying to put a name to a face now ha, What club ya in? I botched that 800 2bh, hung back which meant loads of awkward overtaking. In shape for sub2 at the minute I'd say but would need a steady paced race. Still enjoyed today definitely, times well off what I'm use of but plenty of good battling.

Back to plenty of solid milage for the next few weeks before hopefully hitting outdoors with a bang in late April, can't wait!

Sligo AC. There were 2 of us, I was the auld fella thrown in with you young lions.

Netwerk_Errer

Looking for some advice on steeple training. I've decided to run the 3000m sc at Munster championships in in the summer but I feel I might be underestimating just how difficult it is. Just from jumping a few sprint hurdles the other night at the track, I could see that my coordination and knee drive is shocking and and I fatigue pretty quickly. My overall flexibility is good but my I'm badly in need of some strength work.

Anyone know of some good plyos and other training techniques to improve my technique and strength for the steeple?